Director Of Distance Learning Jobs in California

Position Overview

Since 1973, Dunn School has been a pioneer in supporting bright, college-bound students with learning differences within a rigorous college-preparatory environment. The next chapter of that work seeks not merely to preserve a proud legacy, but to reimagine it for a new generation of students, educators, and families.

Formerly the Learning Strategies Program, the Dunn Neurodivergence Center will serve as the hub for innovation, support, and research around neurodiversity, executive functioning, learning optimization, and student flourishing in grades 6–12.

Dunn School seeks an entrepreneurial, visionary, and deeply collaborative educational leader to serve as the inaugural Director of Neurodivergence and Learning Optimization. This individual will build upon Dunn’s longstanding strengths in individualized support while leading the school toward a more integrated, evidence-based, and future-oriented model of learning.

The Director will report directly to the Associate Head of School and serve as a senior institutional leader responsible for supporting students, families, faculty, and staff; advancing professional learning; partnering with admissions and advancement efforts; and helping Dunn reclaim its place as a thought leader in neurodivergent education.

The Director will work closely with colleagues across academics, student life, residential life, counseling, admissions, educational technology, advancement, and the Center for Human-Centered Innovation in Education to ensure that Dunn’s approach to neurodivergence is woven throughout the fabric of school life.

• Lead the Neurodivergence Center and articulate a coherent, research-informed philosophy of neurodivergent education for Dunn School.

• Develop and implement a long-term strategic vision for neurodivergence support across grades 6–12.

• Position Dunn as a national leader in neurodivergent education through conference presentations, publications, partnerships, and institutional storytelling.

• Build meaningful relationships with peer schools and professional organizations, including active institutional membership and participation in the Association of LD Schools (ALDS) and related organizations.

• Stay current on emerging research, best practices, assistive technologies, and innovations in neurodivergent education.

• Oversee all student accommodations, educational support systems, and learning plans across grades 6–12.

• Supervise the administration and implementation of standardized testing accommodations, SSD processes, and educational documentation in collaboration with the Dean of Academics and College Counseling team.

• Teach and advise a small caseload of students while maintaining a visible presence within the program.

• Expand and strengthen Dunn’s Executive Group model, with particular emphasis on executive functioning, self-advocacy, resilience, and student independence.

• Develop systems that help all students understand how they learn best and become increasingly independent learners.

• Ensure that support structures leverage Dunn’s unique residential and boarding environment.

• Design and lead professional development for faculty and staff, with the expectation that the Neurodivergence Center will contribute meaningfully to schoolwide professional learning.

• Solicit regular and ongoing feedback from faculty to build and maintain effective learning plans that remain responsive to real-time evolution in students’ needs.

• Serve as an ongoing resource to teachers, coaches, advisors, and residential faculty in understanding neurodiversity, executive functioning, anxiety, and student learning profiles.

• Support faculty in implementing evidence-based instructional strategies and strengths-based practices.

• Help cultivate institutional expertise around neurodivergence among both educators and staff.

• Partner closely with Admissions to evaluate applicants, support enrollment decisions, and help communicate Dunn’s approach to neurodivergent education to prospective families.

• Collaborate with Advancement in identifying grant opportunities, cultivating philanthropic support, and telling the story of the Neurodivergence Center.

• Strengthen communication systems with families and ensure transparency around program goals, expectations, and outcomes.

• Serve as a visible ambassador for the program within the broader independent school community.

• Lead ongoing assessment and evaluation of program effectiveness and student outcomes.

• Partner with Educational Technology to explore how artificial intelligence and emerging technologies can optimize learning and support neurodivergent students.

• Develop schoolwide systems for measuring growth in executive functioning, self-advocacy, and learning independence.

• Engage in substantive research and program development to ensure Dunn remains at the forefront of neurodivergent education.

• Serve as a major direct report to the Associate Head of School and an active member of the school’s leadership team.

• Supervise members of the Neurodivergence Center team and support their growth through coaching, mentorship, and evaluation.

• Collaborate closely with health services, residential life, academics, college counseling, and student life to ensure integrated support systems.

• Teach enrichment courses, mini-term experiences, and contribute to Dunn’s outdoor education, leadership, advisory, residential, and co-curricular programs.

• Coach athletics or extracurricular activities and participate fully in the life of the school.

• Perform additional duties as assigned by the Head of School and Associate Head of School.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate: